Sterilised HIV positive women deserve justice- Gender Equality Commission
The Commission for Gender Equality Commission says women who were coerced and forced to be sterilised at public hospitals deserve justice.
An investigation by the commission found that dozens of HIV-positive pregnant women underwent forced sterilisation and that hospital staff threatened to deny women medical attention if they did not sign the paperwork.
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The investigation was launched after two women's rights organisations approached the commission in 2015 with 48 documented cases of coerced sterilisation.
The commission concluded that the women suffered several rights violations and were subjected to "degrading treatment".
Some of the complainants said they were given the forms in moments of "extreme pain" during which they could not fully grasp the content, the report said.
The commission’s spokesperson Jabu Baloyi says no decision has been take on possible legal action.
“We have timelines for engaging the Department of Health and making sure the law changes in the effect, because we cannot hold them accountable in terms of monetary values.
“If it is an inquiry, our mandate limits us in doing certain things, but what we did within our scope is saying that we need justice for these women and something has to give and something needs to be done.”